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Friday, September 12, 2008

Milton Starts Citizen Police Academy

by Jason Wright /Appen Newspapers

September 08, 2008 MILTON — At Lt. Shawn McCarty's first Citizens Police Academy class for Milton, he had a pretty effective teaching tool: a DVD broadcast on national television of him helping chase down dangerous gang members.

The segment was from a television show called "The Most Shocking Dangerous Drivers 3," and featured an October 2004 chase in which McCarty was involved while working as a Marietta police officer.

The 46-minute, multi-agency car chase through the streets of Atlanta began after a small Gwinnett gang trying to establish itself in Marietta opened fire on foes at an apartment complex less than two blocks from where McCarty was on patrol. "I saw the driver pulling out, and he saw me like a deer in the headlights," said McCarty to the students taking Milton's new class. "It was on."

It's tales like these that make McCarty's class, held every Wednesday night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Hickory Flat Road police precinct, so spellbinding. An 11-year police veteran, he's spent eight years in Marietta — four on its SWAT team — before transferring to Milton, where he grew up. He started as a dispatcher in Alpharetta and also logged time with the Police Explorers Unit there.But in class, it's not all tales from the road.

The seven-week program covers topics like criminal investigations, criminal law, 911, and more. Plus, anyone over 18 can take a ride-along with a police officer to see what it's like on the admittedly not-so-mean streets of Milton. The academy culminates with a graduation ceremony in City Council chambers Oct. 20.The first class was more of a question-and-answer session between McCarty and his pupils.

Among those in attendance was Maureen Burton, a recent Washington, D.C. transplant who is on the safety committee of her Wyndham neighborhood."I'm hoping to take back some of the information," she said. "We're starting a neighborhood watch to make our community safer and anything we can do to work better with the police, we'll do."

Bob Myers, a retired foreign service worker who specializes in glass blowing, was interested in helping out as well."I always have such respect for the police," he said. "They risk so much for us. As a citizen, I owe it to myself to know something more about what they do."

For 16-year-old Fellowship Christian student and Alpharetta Police Explorer John McMillan, it's the chance to start a dream."Since I was 14 I've wanted to be a police officer," he said. "I'm here to learn anything I can."

Longtime Milton resident Andria Bramblett had her own reasons, as well. "I just wanted to find out Milton's 'police philosophy,'" she said. "You know, make sure its more than Mayberry, less crazy than 'Reno 911' and a little less drama than 'Law and Order.'"